Founded in 2004, the Friends of the Kayaderosseras (FoK) now has some 450 members dedicated to conserving and preserving the Kayaderosseras Creek. The organization is best known for its major cleanups of the creek, which have resulted in about 2,500 tires being pulled out of the creek and its banks as well as tons of litter.

The organization conducts annual cleanups of the creek. Canoe and kayak trips by the Recreational Access Committee include an early spring trip to assure the creek is free of debris from winter storms.

Other events include an annual Meet the Creek event to provide hands-on displays showing how to keep the creek healthy, as well as informative talks, activities for children, and refreshments.

Displays such as the watershed exhibit are requested for use at the Saratoga County Fair and the Saratoga Environmental Exposition.

This year's event will be held at Kelley Park on July 21. FoK also offers a variety of programs to keep the creek healthy.

A conservation committee is dedicated to promoting the need for vegetative buffers along the creek to reduce pollutants getting into the creek.

Educational programs explain how storm water runoff and soil disturbance can affect water quality.

Other programs include invasive plant removal, water quality testing, and efforts to protect aquatic life as well as animals depending on the creek for survival.

FoK also sponsors a Creek Stewardship Program in which resident of the Kayaaderosseras watershed can use a worksheet to see if their lifestyle is "green."

A major new program introduced and being led by Battenfield is fish stocking which started last spring. Approximately l,000 breeding size brown and rainbow trout have been stocked in the creek through the initiative.

Anyone interested in joining FoK to preserve and conserve the creek can email: kaydeross@hotmail.com or check the website, www.ayaderosseras.org or write Friends of the Kayaderosseras, P. O. Box 223, Ballston Spa, NY 12020.